March 2021

Several of The University of Scranton’s graduate programs are once again ranked among the America’s best by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022 edition of “Best Graduate Schools” that published online March 30.

Scranton’s graduate program in nursing ranked No. 88 and its part-time MBA program ranked No. 95 in the nation. U.S. News also listed several Scranton programs among the Best Graduate Schools Ranking by MBA Specialties in the nation, ranking programs in information systems No. 20; production operations No. 22; accounting No. 28; and finance No. 36. Scranton’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program ranked at No. 113 in the nation.

For the graduate school rankings, U.S. News uses data gathered by surveys of college faculty and administrators, and for nursing programs, from professionals working in health care, to assess the quality of programs. U.S. News also uses statistical data such as faculty student ratios and student test scores. The U.S. News ranking of the Best Graduate Schools Ranking by MBA Specialties is based solely on ratings by business school deans and directors of AACSB-accredited MBA programs.

Graduate nursing degrees offered by Scranton include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): Family Nurse Practitioner, MSN, and post-master’s certificate; Executive Nursing Leadership, M.S.N; and Nurse Anesthesia, DNP, and an accelerated MSN degree program.

The University’s graduate-level business programs include a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Master of Accountancy (MAcc), Master of Science in Finance (MSF). Master of Science in Business Analytics and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in general management or with a specialization in accounting, business analytics, finance, healthcare management, international business, management information systems, marketing and operations management. The University also offers combined/accelerated bachelor’s and master’s level programs including accounting BS/MBA, operations management BS/MBA, finance BS/MBA, management BS/MBA, and College of Arts and Sciences Bachelor’s/MBA, and other programs.

All of the University’s graduate programs hold the highest national accreditation within each discipline, including accreditation by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) for business and accreditation by The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for nursing and Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) for nurse anesthesia.

Earlier this year, U.S. News’ “Best Online Programs” publication ranked the University’s online master’s degree programs in business (excluding MBA) at No. 48; and its online MBA program at No. 111 in the nation. U.S. News also ranked Scranton at No. 67 in the country for “Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans.”

In other rankings published by U.S. News, Scranton has been ranked among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 27 consecutive years. Scranton is ranked No. 6 in the 2021 edition of the guidebook. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching.”

University of Scranton student volunteers with the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice (CSSJ) have been hard at work to make sure that Scranton-area community members have the food that they need. This week dozens of University student volunteers worked together with the Friends of the Poor Scranton to create meal baskets for over 150 families. Meal baskets were created with all Covid safety measures in place and include a full holiday dinner with a ham, vegetables, and dessert. This effort was recently highlighted in a WBRE-WYOU Eyewitness News story, as well as coverage by WNEP-TV, Fox 56 News, and the Scranton Times-Tribune.

The Easter basket dinner preparation is one of many programs that CSSJ volunteers are working on to assist residents in the Scranton community. Students also recently participated in the “Servathon” – a full day of service that engages students in projects that meet local community needs. During this event, CSSJ students created more than 275 Easter baskets and 200 hand-made Easter cards.

These efforts build upon the Center for Service and Social Justice’s ongoing work to help Scranton area community members. At the onset of the pandemic, CSSJ launched the “We Care Wednesday” program to help support Friends of the Poor Scranton’s efforts to provide meals to low-income community members. This weekly event provides meals and snacks along with hand-written cheerful notes to let community members know that someone is thinking about them.

This program has served provided over 2,000 meals to area residents and has expanded for the spring semester to include Thursday “We Care” meal distributions. Additional “We Care” programs include the creation of 400 thank you notes to essential workers during the pandemic.

For more information about the Center for Service and Social Justice please visit here and follow CSSJ on Facebook at @UofSCSSJ.  

The University of Scranton will host a Virtual Preview Day for high school students accepted to its Class of 2025 and their families on Saturday, Mar. 27. The virtual event, which will begin at 10 a.m., will include live, interactive sessions with faculty, students and staff members, as well as informational videos and panel discussions. The event will include virtual tours of campus and labs and allow for personal appointments with staff from the Financial Aid Office.

The virtual event will include residence hall tours and live Q and A sessions with current students; sessions on more than 35 academic programs, pre-law, honors programs and pre-health professions; live sessions on student life, study abroad, and career development; mission and ministries and more.

The virtual event will provide an opportunity for accepted students to take a closer look at the Jesuit university before making their final college decision. The last sessions will begin at 1 p.m.

For additional information or to register for Virtual Preview Day, visit the Virtual Preview Day webpage or contact The University of Scranton Admissions Office at 1-888-SCRANTON.

The University of Scranton’s Office of Community Relations is pleased to offer a virtual after-school program to students in Scranton. The program will begin on March 29 and run for the duration of the spring semester until May 6. The program will offer four different 45-minute sessions per week for students in grades 3-5. During the sessions, Scranton-area students can join with University of Scranton student tutors for homework help and small group academic support in various academic areas including: reading and English; spelling and grammar; math; and science.

This program aims to offer Scranton grade school students the opportunity to connect with University student tutors to receive academic support in a small group setting. Due to the current Covid-related restrictions in place, this program will be hosted virtually via Zoom and requires a parent/guardian waiver for students to participate. Sessions are limited to 12 participants per session and students with signed waivers will be accepted into session on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested parents/guardians can register their 3^rd-5^th grade students here. 

University student mentors are drawn from various academic departments, including physical therapy, sociology, and biology, and are participating as part of community-based learning or as a co-curricular activity. The program will recruit student mentees from area elementary schools, including the University’s community partner school in the Scranton School District, McNichols Plaza Elementary in South Side.

Over intersession, the University piloted this tutoring program to offer Scranton-area 3^rd-5^th graders an opportunity to have some extra help with their academic work and also to have the opportunity to connect with University of Scranton student tutors. As remote and hybrid learning continue in schools, the University is expanding the tutoring program to offer 4 weekly sessions to area students.

For more information or for questions, please email community@scarnton.edu 

Michelle Gonzalez Maldonado, Ph.D., dean of The University of Scranton’s College of Arts and Sciences, was among the distinguished panelists who participated in “The Francis Factor at Eight Years: Global Impacts, U.S. Challenges” discussion hosted by Georgetown University. The virtual March 18^th event was part of Georgetown University’s Dahlgren Dialogues and was co-sponsored by its Office of Mission and Ministry and the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life.

Georgetown’s Francis Factor dialogues focus on Pope Francis’ mission and message, his priorities and leadership, his impact, and the challenges he offers to U.S. Catholics.

Joining Dr. Maldonado as panelist were Cardinal Seán O’Malley, OFM Cap, Archbishop of Boston; Cardinal Peter Turkson, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; and Cindy Wooden, Rome bureau chief of Catholic News Service.

A scholar of religious studies, Dr. Maldonado’s areas of specialization include Latino/a and Latin American theology; Afro-Caribbean and Latino/a studies; U.S. minority, Third World and feminist theologies; and constructive and cultural theologies. She is the editor, co-author or author of 10 books, two of which won Catholic Press Association book awards. She has published more than 40 articles in academic journals and book chapters, presented at 85 academic conferences and meetings, and contributed more than a dozen book reviews. She has also written a number of articles for the National Catholic Reporter.

Dr. Maldonado began her service as dean at Scranton in July 2020. She previously served as assistant provost of undergraduate education at the University of Miami.

Dr. Maldonado earned her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University; her master’s degree from the Union Theology Seminary and her Ph.D. from the Graduate Theological Union.

Read more about “The Francis Factor” discussion in this Catholic News Service article.

The University of Scranton will stop accepting new clients though the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program on Thursday, Mar. 25, so students volunteering with the program have the time needed to complete their course requirements and prepare for final examinations.

The accounting students will assist area residents with filing their federal, state and local tax returns whose information is received prior to the cut-off date.

Because of the pandemic, the University has developed a contactless process for assisting residents who qualify for the free tax assistance program. Residents of Lackawanna and Wayne counties with household incomes of $57,000 or less for 2020 can provide the information needed to complete tax forms in a secure “drop-off box” located in the University Police Department, 820 Mulberry Street, Mondays through Thursdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. until Mar. 25. Forms will be processed remotely by University student volunteers. Clients will be contacted by phone or email with any questions and when their tax forms have been filed electronically. The documents provided, or copies of documents if originals were needed for filing, will be then returned to participants.

The documents needed for filing tax forms include:

• name, email and phone number;
• a copy of the taxpayer’s driver’s license (and spouse’s if applicable);
• a copy of Social Security cards for the taxpayer, the spouse, and any dependents;
• all Wage and earning statements, including, but not limited to:

• • Form W-2 (employees);
  • W-2G (gambling winnings);
  • 1099-R (retirement withdrawals);
  • 1099-Misc, 1099-NEC(miscellaneous income) and any related expenses;
  • 1099-G (unemployment income);
  • 1099-SA (Social Security statement);
  • 1099-B (sales of stock);

• interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099-INT and 1099-DIV);
• a copy of last year’s federal and state returns, if available;
• a voided check for proof of bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit;
• forms 1095-A, B and C, health coverage statements;
• any information pertinent to deductions and credits the taxpayer may be eligible for, such as:

• • 1098-T for anyone on the tax return who attended a higher education institution during 2020;
  • totals paid to daycare providers and the daycare provider's tax identifying number such as their Social Security number or business Employer Identification Number, name, and address;

• for those who qualify for a property tax or rent rebate (age 65 and older, a widow/widower, disabled, and within certain income limits), copies of property tax receipts for any property taxes paid during the 2020 tax year;
• list of charitable donations;
• note if you received the first stimulus payment? (spring of 2020) $1,200/taxpayer-spouse and $500 for each qualifying child;
• also note if you received the economic impact payment? (late 2020 or early 2021) $600/ taxpayer-spouse and each qualifying child.

Residents with questions may call the University at 570-941-4045.

University students have participated in the VITA program for more than 30 years.

Treasured quotes said by Father Pilarz; words written by his favorite poets; memories penned by University students and bouquets of purple and white flowers adorned the Byron Recreation Complex, which served as the site of a public viewing and Mass of Christian Burial for University of Scranton President Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.

Thousands of mourners attended the public viewing for Father Pilarz on Friday, March 12, and thousands more watched the broadcast of his Mass of Christian burial on Saturday, March 13.

Rev. Herbert Keller, S.J., vice president for mission and ministry at the University and rector of the Scranton Jesuit community, served as principal celebrant for the Mass.

“Father Scott Pilarz had many loves in his life, and these loves shaped the person, the Jesuit and the priest that he was. Scott was fond of saying ‘don’t waste love,’ and it is clear in his own life, he never did,” said Father Keller in his Homily. He spoke of Father Pilarz’s love for his family, friends, the Church, the Society of Jesus, the sacred mission of Catholic and Jesuit education, the people of northeastern Pennsylvania and The University of Scranton, the place Father Pilarz called in his first Presidential Inaugural address the “miracle in the mountains.”

“It turned out he was the miracle who inspired us to be our best selves,” said Father Keller. He quoted from a reflection of Father Pilarz shared by former University of Scranton President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham University: “‘What an iconic son of St. Ignatius, a pastor and a teacher to the end.’”

“If there is one guiding image that somehow captures the blessings of Father Pilarz’s life, it is that of the teacher. Teaching was the source his fulfillment and happiness,” said Father Keller.

“Scott saw the amazing possibilities for the transformation of lives in education and the belief that education ultimately reveals to us in (Gerard Manley) Hopkin’s phrase ‘a world charged with the grandeur of God.’”

In his Homily, Father Keller described lessons of faith, love and hope learned from Father Pilarz, quoting from the Gospel of St. John, and from the words of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, S.J., Saint Robert Southwell, S.J., poet Mary Oliver and “the bard of New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen”

“We are called on this earth to build one another up. We are called to support each other. Strengthened and loved by God, it is our task in this world to strengthen and love one another. This belief was at the foundation of his vision of a Catholic and Jesuit university – a place where one can discover the extraordinary grace and goodness of God in the ordinary,” said Father Keller. “We thank God for the gift of his life and the blessing that it was to walk this road with him.”

Steven Surovick, S.J., ’96 cousin of Father Pilarz, concelebrated the Mass and provided the eulogy.

“No matter which part of the family you are from, be it New Jersey, Georgetown, the Society or Scranton, we knew Scott. We loved Scott. We know that where Scott loved, he lived. We know that where Scott loved, we lived,” said Father Surovick. “In gratitude for the life and love we have known, we continue in that life and continue in that love, until together again.”

In addition to family and friends, The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., Bishop of the Diocese of Scranton, attended the Mass as did dozens of Catholic priests and Jesuits and University of Scranton President-elect Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J. The Very Reverend Joseph M. O’Keefe, provincial of the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus, was represented at the Mass by Provincial Assistant Rev. Jack Hanwell, S.J.

Born in 1959 on the Feast of St. Ignatius, Father Pilarz served as Scranton’s president for two terms: first as the 24^th president from 2003-2011; then as the 27^th president from 2018-2021. He was the second-longest- serving president in Scranton’s history.

The city of Scranton offers a wide variety of unique small-businesses and boasts a diverse array of restaurants offering something for everyone. To highlight our Scranton business partners both to the University and greater Scranton community, the University’s Office of Community Relations is offering weekly business alerts on its social media channels.

Despite the challenges offered by the pandemic, several new businesses are opening in the city of Scranton. One of these new additions to our city is Commonwealth Coffeehouse, a new downtown café offering a variety of drinks and grab and go meal options, located on the corners of Penn Avenue and Lackawanna Avenue. This business was recently featured in the weekly business alert to let both community members and University students know about this great new addition to our downtown.

This week’s feature, the Brooklyn Deli Grocery, is another new business on Cedar Avenue in South Scranton. The Brooklyn Deli Grocery offers many great options including pizza, subs, and empanadas, all available for safe takeout. By highlighting businesses like the Brooklyn Deli Grocery, the Office of Community Relations hopes to support these new additions to our Scranton community.

The Office of Community Relations is working with a variety of community partners, including Scranton Tomorrow, United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA, and NeighborWorks of NEPA to identify new businesses in our area. In April the weekly business alerts feature hopes to highlight sustainable and eco-conscious businesses in the city of Scranton. Weekly business alerts will continue for the duration of the spring semester and feature new types of businesses monthly.

To view the weekly business alerts, please follow the Office of Community Relations on its social media channels. Facebook: @uscrantoncommunityrelations; Instagram & Twitter: @uofscommunity.

For more information or to share your business, please email community@scranton.edu.

Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. ’H15, President of The University of Scranton, passed away Wednesday, March 10, in Scranton from complications related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was 61.

Father Pilarz served as Scranton’s President for two terms: first as the 24^th President from 2003-2011; then as the 27^th President from 2018-2021. He was the second-longest- serving President in Scranton’s history. He announced his ALS diagnosis in 2018, committing himself to continued service and to raising awareness about the disease.

During Father Pilarz’s second tenure as President at Scranton, he leveraged the University’s strengths and responsibilities as a Jesuit and Catholic institution to be a source for understanding and positive change in the community and the wider world. He marshaled resources in response to the national call to action against systemic racism, and formed the Task Force on Healing, Reconciliation and Hope as part of the University’s response to the sexual abuse crisis facing the Church. He also established the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities and supported the humanities generally at the University to further advance the liberal arts tradition that is at the core of Jesuit education.

Under his leadership, the University developed and adopted the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, which includes goals focused on diversity and inclusion, and the humanities. He also led the University’s fundraising efforts to strengthen scholarship endowments to keep Scranton accessible to students and families, and strongly supported efforts to ensure the health and future vitality of Scranton’s Catholic and Jesuit mission and identity.

Most recently, Father Pilarz calmly and competently guided the University’s response to the pandemic, focusing steadfastly on the school’s sacred mission to provide students with a transformational Catholic and Jesuit education. He brought students back to campus during the fall and spring semesters of the 2020-2021 academic year, ensuring extensive health and safety protocols were in place to protect all members of the University community. Throughout the pandemic, he shared his love and support for the University community through pastoral messages of courage, hope and even humor, including classic reflections on campus Christmas tree challenges.

During Father Pilarz’s first term as President, the University earned national recognition for academic quality, community engagement and student success, achieving then record admissions and undertaking the largest construction projects in its history.  He expanded international mission and service opportunities and programs to enhance its Catholic and Jesuit identity. The University also earned the highly selective Community Engagement Classification designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Guided by a 2005-2010 Strategic Plan – Pride, Passion, Promise: Shaping Our Jesuit Tradition, Father Pilarz was instrumental in planning and securing resources for transformational capital projects that included the Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center; the Christopher and Margaret Condron Hall; the John and Jacquelyn Dionne Campus Green; the expansion of the Retreat Center at Chapman Lake, Montrone Hall and the building named in his honor, Pilarz Hall, on Mulberry Street; and the Loyola Science Center.

Father Pilarz’s other accomplishments as Scranton’s 24^th President included dedicated support for research by new faculty, and establishing the President’s Colloquy for Presidential Scholars and five endowed chairs to attract top scholars. The University’s progress was supported by the Pride, Passion, Promise Campaign, the most ambitious capital campaign in the University’s history, which surpassed its $125 million fundraising goal.

Prior to Father Pilarz returning to Scranton for his second term as President, he served as President of Georgetown Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., from 2014 to 2018. His accomplishments at Georgetown Prep included leading the community in a celebration of the 225th anniversary of its founding, guiding the development of a comprehensive strategic plan, and working to secure the largest gift in the school’s history.

During his service as President of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 2011 to 2013, he spearheaded a strategic planning process and also guided the school into the newly configured Big East athletic conference.

Always a teacher at heart, he found time during his various administrative positions to teach courses and seminars focused on Shakespeare, Renaissance poetry and prose, and Jesuit education.

Earlier in his career, he served as an Assistant Professor of English and Interim University Chaplain at Georgetown University, where he worked on numerous committees and leadership roles for various academic and spiritual programs, and retreats for students and alumni. During his Jesuit formation, he was a visiting professor at St. Joseph’s University, a lecturer in philosophy at Sts. Peter & Paul Seminary at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and an English teacher at Loyola High School, Towson, Maryland.

Throughout his Jesuit service as a researcher, teacher and administrator, he shared his deep love of poetry with all, frequently including quotes from favorite poets in speeches and talks. At The University of Scranton, he selected a quotation from the poet who was the subject of his research, St. Robert Southwell, S.J., to be etched above a prominent entrance to the DeNaples Center. It reads: “Not where I breathe, but where I love, I live.” Father Pilarz chose that same quote as the theme of his second Inauguration at Scranton, capturing a feeling toward the school and its sense of community that he had in common with the entire Scranton family.

The leadership skill of Father Pilarz was recognized through his inclusion among the 38 successful individuals profiled by Ronald Shapiro in The New York Times bestseller Dare to Prepare: How to Win Before You Begin. As a scholar, Father Pilarz delivered numerous papers at scholarly conferences on various aspects of medieval and Renaissance literature. He also lectured and published on topics related to Jesuit education. His book, Robert Southwell, S.J., and the Mission of Literature 1561-1595: Writing Reconciliation, was published by Ashgate Press. He was a professional member of numerous scholarly and academic societies including the Renaissance Society of America, Shakespeare Association of America, John Donne Society and Modern Language Association.

He received multiple awards for teaching, service and scholarship, including the John Carroll Award from Georgetown University for lifetime achievement, the highest honor bestowed by the Georgetown University Alumni Association. He received the Ignatian Award from Scranton Preparatory School, and was awarded honorary degrees from King’s College, Wilkes University, Marywood University and The University of Scranton. He served on the board of trustees of several institutions, including Boston College and Saint Joseph’s University, and as President of the board of his alma mater, Camden Catholic High School.

A proud Polish son of New Jersey and an avid dog lover, Father Pilarz earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Georgetown University, winning three Saint Genevieve Awards for his acting and directing; a master’s degree in philosophy from Fordham University; and a master’s degree in divinity from the Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He earned a Ph.D. in English at the City University of New York. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1981, and was ordained a priest in 1992.

A devoted son, brother and uncle, Father Pilarz is survived by his parents, Ron and Joan Pilarz, a sister, Susan, and brother-in-law, Joseph Lappin, Lewisville, Texas, a niece, Carly, nephew, Joey, and grandniece, Marin.

A walk-by viewing for students, faculty and staff will be held in the Byron Recreation Complex on campus on Friday, March 12, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The viewing will be open to the general public as well from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A private Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 13. The Mass will be available for viewing online.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. Scholarship that will provide financial assistance to University of Scranton students in need. Contributions can be mailed to The Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Scholarship care of: University Advancement, The University of Scranton, 800 Linden St., Scranton,18510. Contributions can also be made online.

During the spring semester, The University of Scranton World Languages & Cultures Department and Language Learning Center is offering free adult English as a Second Language (ESL) virtual tutoring sessions for community members interested in learning the English language. Sessions are held on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. for one hour and are guided by tutors at the University’s Language Learning Center. The 4 p.m. session is for intermediate to advanced English speakers and the 5 p.m. session is for novice or beginner English speakers.

The program provides community members with an opportunity to connect with others and gain confidence as they learn the English language.

“It’s very heartwarming and amazing to see the same nervous and shy students become more confident and fluent in English after tutoring them for a while, it’s very rewarding,” said Megan Magallanes, sophomore and tutor.

Interested community members can join the sessions via Zoom each week to receive tutoring, support, and to practice their English language communications skills. The goal of these sessions is to provide community members with free support on their journey to learn a new language. The virtual sessions offer the convenience of joining the sessions from anywhere.

 “One of the primary ways that the World Languages and Cultures Department is able to give back to the Scranton community is through our English as a Second Language tutoring program. This program allows community members to work one-on-one or in small groups with a University of Scranton tutor to improve their English skills. I have loved being a part of a program that empowers members of the community by helping them to gain the English skills and support they need to communicate.” remarked  Hannah Jackson, Director of the Language Learning Center.

Although virtual, the sessions still aim to provide connections both with other ESL students and University of Scranton community members. Having the ability to practice and share progress with others has had an impact for both the ESL tutors and the students. 

"Leading the ESL conversation hours allows me to connect members of the Scranton community through the English language, regardless of their background. As a former ESL student, I’m honored that I get to pass my knowledge onto them and learn from their experiences as non-native English speakers," said Crysta O’Donnell, junior and tutor. 

The spring ESL tutoring sessions are currently underway and will continue through the conclusion of the spring semester in May 2021.

Interested community members can register for the spring ESL sessions here. 

For more information, please contact Hannah Jackson, Director of the Language Learning Center at Hannah.jackson@scranton.edu or by phone at (570)-941-4711.

The University of Scranton’s Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities will host a virtual presentation titled “Hope and Healing for Ugandan Youth: Educating Amidst Environmental Degradation, Food Insecurity, and Poverty Through the Bethany Land Institute.” Rev. Emmanuel Katongole, professor of theology and peace studies at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame, will present the lecture at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Mar. 18.

The talk, part of the 2020-21 Humanities Forums at Scranton, is open to the public and can be viewed on Zoom at: http://bit.ly/3bApVZU, or on YouTube at http://bit.ly/2Ipj8Hv.

Father Katongole holds a joint appointment with the Keough School of Global Affairs, where he serves as a full-time faculty member of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. A member of the Contending Modernities Initiative team, he coordinates an inter-disciplinary research project, which investigates how religious and secular forces compete or collaborate in shaping new modes of authority, community and identity within the context of nation-state modalities in Africa. He is a Catholic priest of Kampala Archdiocese, Uganda, where he was ordained in 1987.

His research focuses on politics and violence in Sub-Saharan Africa; political theology; global Catholicism; theology and peace studies and reconciliation His publications include “Born from Lament: the theology and Politics of Hope in Africa” (Eerdmans, 2017); “The Journey of Reconciliation: Groaning for a New Creation in Africa” (Orbis, 2017); and “Reconciling All Things: A Christian vision of Justice, Peace and Healing” (IVP Books, 2018).

Before joining the University of Notre Dame in 2013, Father Katongole served as associate professor of theology and world Christianity at Duke University, and as founding co-director of the Duke Center for Reconciliation. He taught at The University of Scranton in the Theology/Religious Studies Department during the 1999-2000 academic year.

The fourth annual HamSCI Workshop 2021 for amateur radio operators and professional scientists will be held in a virtual format on Friday and Saturday, March 19-20. The University of Scranton will serve as host for the Zoom webinar, sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), that will include addresses by guest speakers, poster presentations and demonstrations of relevant instrumentation and software.

Participation is free through support from the NSF and the University. The theme of this year’s workshop is midlatitude ionospheric science.

The workshop will also serve as a team meeting for the HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station project, which is a NSF funded project awarded to University of Scranton physics and electrical engineering professor Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D. The project seeks to harness the power of a network of licensed amateur radio operators to better understand and measure the effects of weather in the upper levels of Earth’s atmosphere.

The workshop’s keynote address on the “History of Radio” will be given by Elizabeth Bruton, Ph.D., curator of technology and engineering at the Science Museum of London. She will discuss the history, science, technology and licensing of radio amateur communities from the early 1900s through to the present day, exploring how individuals and communities contributed to “citizen science” long before the term entered popular usage in the 1990s. Dr. Bruton has been a non-licensed member of Oxford and District Amateur Radio Society since 2014 and their web manager since 2015.

Michael Ruohoniemi, Ph.D., professor of electrical and computer engineering at Virginia Tech and principal investigator of the Virginia Tech SuperDARN Initiative, will review the physics of the midlatitude ionosphere and discuss ways in which the amateur radio community can contribute to advancing scientific understanding and technical capabilities. Joe Dzekevich K1YOW, an amateur radio citizen scientist who recently published his work in CQ Magazine, will present “Amateur Radio Observations and The Science of Midlatitude Sporadic E.” The event will also include virtual oral presentations by researchers from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, MIT Haystack Observatory, the University of Oslo, the University of Bath, Case Western Reserve University, Dartmouth College. the University of Alabama, Clemson University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and The University of Scranton, among others.

University students Veronica Romanek (KD2UHN), Hampton, New Jersey; Cuong Nguyen, Ashley; and M. Shaaf Sarwar (KC3PVF), Lahore, Punjab, are among the iposter presenters.

A full schedule of speakers and registration information can be found on the HamSCI Workshop 2021website.

Area students in grades seven to 12 can participate in The University of Scranton’s Earth Day Essay Contest 2021. The contest is offered free of charge and this year’s essay theme is “Caring for our Common Home.”

Essays for students in grades seven and eight must be between 200 to 400 words. Essays for students in grades nine to 12 must be between 300 to 500 words. Electronic submissions must be sent to susan.falbo@scranton.edu on or before Friday, April 9.

Visit the University’s Sustainability website for complete submission rules and details. Only electronic submissions will be accepted this year. Mail-in entries will not be accepted for 2021.

Winners of the Earth Day Essay Contest will be announced via an event hosted on The University of Scranton Sustainability Office Facebook page on Earth Day, April 22, beginning at 7 p.m.

This year marks the 51^st anniversary of Earth Day.

Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., the newly named 29^th president of The University of Scranton, answered a few questions about himself, the University, its strategic plan, the city and more in a Q & A session for Royal News, part of which is included in a video posted on the announcement webpage. Father Marina will begin serving as the 29^th president this summer.

What about The University of Scranton inspired you to want to become its 29th president?

Since the first day I joined the Jesuits, I heard that The University of Scranton takes seriously its Catholic and Jesuit identity. I’ve heard that so many times, it has to be true. When I became aware of the opportunity to serve as president and thought about how the mission and identity ring true, I knew that I had to apply.

What were your impressions of the University before the search, and what have you learned through the process that surprised you?

My impressions were always very good. I’ve known for some time how Scranton has fared in the ratings in U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, and many other national rankings. But it wasn’t really until the search process itself that I started to become really familiar with the University, its components, and, most especially, its people. All of that has confirmed everything that I have believed in with regard to the University for some time now.

You entered the Jesuits a little bit later in life. Can you share some of what led you to make that decision?

I met the Jesuits when I began my doctoral program at Fordham University. This is a little hard to explain, but meeting them was comparable to being away on a long journey, coming home, putting your key in the door and walking in. There’s no feeling like the one you get when you know that you’re “home.” That’s how joining the Society of Jesus felt to me. Even though I didn’t know the Jesuits well, it still felt like home to me whenever I was on the campus of Fordham, learning about St. Ignatius and Ignatian spirituality, or engaging in other things related to the Jesuits. I took more formal steps to get to know the Society of Jesus later in my life. I entered at 42, which is really quite unusual even these days, but I don’t regret a moment of it. In fact, I wish I had started the process sooner!

Could you talk a little about how you see the relationship between the University and the city?

I learned from one of my Jesuit mentors that a Jesuit university is only worth its salt if it has a direct and beneficial impact on the city around it. I’m well aware of the mutually beneficial relationship that exists between the City of Scranton and the University, and I’m really interested in learning more about it and helping that relationship to grow. Also, I’d like to meet Bishop Bambera, and hear about the impact and the needs of the local church. All of these things work together with local industry to allow us as a team to provide the greatest impact and benefit that we can. It is a dynamic relationship already, and I think it can only get better from here. I'm’ looking forward to learning and doing more to help this relationship grow.

How do you see yourself connecting with students? Do you have certain things in mind that you think helps you to connect best with them?

The way that I connect with students here at Le Moyne is in both formal and informal ways. That means meeting formally with student leadership, being present at club meetings and such. Then I also like to spend time with them informally, having lunch or dinner with them in the dining hall, walking around the campus and chatting for a few minutes as they make their way to class. Sometimes I will take my laptop to the library in the evening and catch up on my email there. It’s a chance to say hello to students and answer a quick question they may have, or just ask them how they’re doing. It’s essential that a university president be accessible to students and I intend to be so.

What would you like to say to the Scranton family?

What I'd like to say to the Scranton family is thank you. Thank you for inviting me into your midst. This is the privilege of a lifetime. I promise you that I'm going to do everything I can to live up to the confidence that you're showing in me at this moment. And, the last thing I'll say is, "Go Royals."

Students provided their own welcome to Father Marina in this video.

Update, March 2021: Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., was named the University's 28th president in February 2021, but with the addition of Jeffrey Gingerich, Ph.D. as acting president after the passing of Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., the University's 27th president, in March 2021, Father Marina will become the 29th University president. Dr. Gingerich is the 28th University president. Where it was possible, the University has updated references to reflect this change.

University of Scranton Magis Honors Program students have worked to create a series of fun and educational science videos for kids. This series of videos covers interesting topics from why the sky is blue and why leaves change colors, to offering a virtual introduction to some of the animals living in the University’s Loyola Science Center. The video collection can be viewed here.

Guided by program director and biology faculty chairperson Dr. Janice Voltzow, Magis Honors students created these videos to keep connected with K-12 students and to and to offer insights into the field of STEM.  The Magis Honors Program in STEM is designed to provide undergraduate students with a more intense, interdisciplinary experience of research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In addition to focusing on the intellectual and technical skills needed to carry out and communicate original research, this program also aims to lay the foundations for Magis students to become socially responsible scientists and to engage with K-12 students in the Scranton community.

“With the challenges of the pandemic and remote learning, we sought new ways to reach out to local schools with interesting and fun exercises in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Our Magis students put their collective, talented heads together and developed these videos. I continue to be so impressed with their dedication and creativity!” said Dr. Voltzow.

The Magis Science videos are the newest edition to a collection of K-12 virtual resources that The University of Scranton’s Office of Community Relations is working to compile and share as a resource for students during the pandemic.  This effort builds up The University of Scranton’s aim to continue serving as a community resource during this time of physical distancing.

Additional virtual resources include exercise and wellness videos for kids created by students in Dr. Jennifer Swartz’s Physical Therapy course, Integrated Art Lesson Videos created by Education students in Dr. Catherine Cullen’s Math for Grades 2 – 4 course, and a virtual Scranton Story Time project from students volunteering with the Center for Service and Social JusticeThese virtual K-12 resources are available on The University of Scranton’s Office of Community Relations website. Parents and guardians can access the videos by visiting scranton.edu/virtualkidsactivities.  The resources will be available for the duration of remote instruction due to the pandemic. 

If you are an educator interested in utilizing these videos and would like to consider the possibility of University students offering a virtual live presentation, please contact Carolyn M. Bonacci, community and civic engagement coordinator, at carolyn.bonacci@scranton.edu. 

For more information about the Magis Honor Program visit here or contact Dr. Janice Voltzow at janice.voltzow@scranton.edu. For more information about the Office of Community-Based Learning please visit here or email community@scranton.edu.